Template controlled tone with means to indicate wear of the tool tip

ABSTRACT

An apparatus equipped with a tool guided by its tip along a prescribed path of travel by means of a copying template, especially a planing tool, the copying template possessing scanning surfaces and control surfaces. According to the important aspects of the invention an indicator means is provided at the path of the tool produced by the control surfaces for the purpose of indicating the position of the tip of the tool with respect to the path of movement.

United States Patent [191 Kotthaus 11] 3,805,761 [451 Apr. 23, 1974 [54]TEMPLATE CONTROLLED TONE WITH MEANS TO INDICATE WEAR OF THE TOOL TIPInventor: Erich Kotthaus, Kloten, Switzerland WerlrzeugmaschinenfabrikOerlikon-Buhrle AG, Zug, Switzerland Filed: Mar. 8, 1972 Appl. No.:232,860

73] Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 17, 1971 Switzerland 3918/71 US.Cl. l25/l1 PH, 33/201, 125/11 CW Int. Cl B24b 53/08 Field of Search.125/11 TP, 11 PH, 11 PT,

125/11 CW, 11 R; 5l/165.87; 33/201 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,522,485 9/1950 Silvea et al....' 125/11 R X 3/1960 Flanders125/11 TP 3,155,086 11/1964 Ornehage 125/11 '1'? 3,378,001 4/1968Parapetti 125/11 R Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith-AssistantExaminerNicholas P. Godici Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Werner W.Kleeman ABSTRACT An apparatus equipped with a tool guided by its tipalong a prescribed path of travel by means of a copying template,especially a planingtool, the copying template possessing scanningsurfaces and control surfaces. According to the important aspects/of theinvention an indicator means is provided at the path of the toolproduced by the control surfaces for the purpose of indicating theposition of the tip of the tool with respect to the path of movement.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FATENTEDAPR 23 L974 SHEET 2 BF 3 A TEMPLATECONTROLLED TONE WITH MEANS TO INDICATE WEAR OF THE TOOL TIP I BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION The present invention broadly relates to machine toolsand, more specifically, deals with a new and improved construction ofapparatus equipped with a tool guided by its tip along a prescribed pathof travel by means of a copying template, especially a planing or truingtool, the copying template having scanning surfaces and controlsurfaces.

A known piece of prior art equipment of this type is provided withplaning tools which are controlled through the intermediary of a copyingtemplate. The profile of the copying template is accommodated to theprofile of a grinding disk. The copying template additionally isequipped with control surfaces. The planing tools by means of their tipsexhibit a calibrated spacing from their support or holders and duringguiding of the planing tools by the control surfaces,-which are parallelto one another, the mutual spacing of the tips of two tools is equal toa fixed amount. After each planing operation the grinding disk must beadjusted in the direction of the object to be ground by the planedamount. In this prior art construction of equipment it is not possibleto determine wear of the planing tool which as a general rule possessesa diamond at its tip, and thus there reside adjustment errors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence,from what has been discussed above, itwill be recognized that this particular technology is still in need ofequipment of the mentioned type which is not associated with theaforementioned drawbacks and limitations. Therefore, it is a primaryobject of the pres ent invention to effectively and reliably fulfill theexisting need in the art.

Still a further significant object of the present invention relates toan improved apparatus of the type having. a tool guided by its tip alonga prescribed path of travel through the action of a copying template,and wherein it is possible to easily and readily take into account wearof the tool during tool adjustment.

Still a further significant object of the present invention relates to anovel construction of machine tool, especially having a planing toolwhich can be reliably and accurately adjusted as a function of toolwear.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the inventive apparatus is manifested by the features that anindicating mechanism is arranged at the path of the tool generated bythe control surfaces of the copying template for the purpose ofindicating the position of the tip of the tool with respect to the pathof travel thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forth above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a preferredconstructional form of inventive apparatus, and in particular here shownas a planing apparatus equipped with a grinding disk and an object orarticle to be ground;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the appara tus depicted inFIG. I viewed in the direction of the arrow A thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 2, takensubstantially along the line III-III thereof, wherein for purposes ofclarity in illustration there have been added as well as omitted certainof the components;

FIG. 4 is a schematic detail view on an enlarged scale of a portion ofthe apparatus depicted in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a further detail view of a portion of the equipment depictedin FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Considering now thedrawings, and according to the illustration of FIG. 1, a substantiallypot-shaped housing -1 is rotatable about a vertical journal or pivot pin2 which centrally engages housing 1 from above. Housing 1 is laterallysupported at the lower half thereof at the roller bearings 3 so as toprevent any horizontal de flections of this housing 1. A carriage 4 ismounted so as to be vertically displaceable in the housing 1 at rods 6by means of rollers 5. A copying pin support 8 is movably connected withthe carriage 4 through the agency of two essentially parallel bracketsor links 7. The copying pin support 8 is equipped with a copying pin 9which is disposed perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and whichcomes to bear against a copying template 10 having control surfaces 58and scanning surfaces 60 parallely displaced with respect to oneanother, as shown. A planing tool support 13 is connected with thiscopying pin support 8 through the agency of a web 11 and a dovetailconnection 12. wean engages through an opening 37 at the floor of thehousing 1. Opening 37 is closed off by a rubber collar or sealing member38.

Continuing, it should be observed that the planing tool support 13carries a planing or dressing tool 14 having a diamond 15 at the tip ofa holding tool 16. By means of 2 micrometer adjustment screws 17 and 18it is possible to horizontally and vertically displace the planing tool14. Planing tool 14 also will be recognized to act upon a grinding diskor wheel 19 which rotates about a substantially horizontal axis 20. Thegrinding disk 19 has a roof-shaped profile. The roof surfaces of theprofile of this grinding disk 19 form first grinding surfaces F Thegrinding surfaces F, merge at the base of the roof surfaces withhorizontal grinding surfaces F as shown. Both grinding surfaces F and Fare in engagement with a tool 21,'for instance a cutter for a frontcutter head of a geapcutting machine, whereby a side surface and thehead surface of the tool 21 are ground during one working operation.

The copying template l0 possesses a contour which exactly corresponds tothe profile of the grinding disk 19. Furthermore, copying template l0possesses an elongated contour 58 defining the aforementioned con-' trolsurfaces which are displaced parallel to the image of the grindingsurfaces F and F A round measuring rod 22 is mounted so as to bedeflec'table in a support or carrier 23 which is flanged to thehousing 1. The measuringrod 22 in its rest-position assumes such an 1orientation that the diamond 15 guided by the elongated contour 58 ofthe copying template 10 contacts the measuring rod 22 tangentially attwo locations and more or less deflects same.

Now at the housing 1 there is arranged a hydraulic piston unit 24. Thepiston housing 25 is pivotably mounted at its rear end at a horizontalpivot pin or journal 26 which is fixedly connected with housing 1. Bymeans of two hydraulic conduits or lines 27 and 28 which respectivelyopen in front of and behind the nonvisible piston within the pistonhousing 25, it is possible through the infeed of a pressurized fluidmedium to displace the piston member in both directions as desired. Apiston rod 29 extending out of the piston housing 25 is connected withthe non-visible piston. This piston rod 29 is connected with the firstarm 32 of a doublearm-lever 30. This first arm 32 of the double-armlever forms together with a second arm 33 thereof an obtuse angle. Thislever 30 is mounted at its central region at a pivot pin 31 which isfixedly connected with the housing 1. The copying pin support or holder8 is pivotably connected via a link or bracket 34 with the second arm 33of the double-arm lever 30. A tension spring 36 is suspended between ahook at the floor of the housing 1 and the link or bracket 34, and whichtension spring draws the copying pin support 8 towards the right throughthe agency of link 34 and therefore presses the copying pin 9 againstthe contour of the copying template 10. A further tension spring 57 issuspended between the carriage 4 and a hook 56 provided at the roof orceiling of housing 1. This tension spring 57 only serves for weightcompensation purposes for the carriage 4, so that such can move up anddown with the same speed.

Now as best observed by referring to FIG. 2, the measuring rod 22 isrecessed or stepped in diameter. By means of its conical tip 39 thethinner or reduced diameter portion .40 of this measuring rod 44 isseated in a bore 41 which is formed at the support or carrier 23 flangedto the housing 1. A further bore 42 is arranged parallel and at aninclination above the bore 41 at the support 23. Bore 42 possesses a pin43 which is directed perpendicular to the axis of such bore. A furtherpin 44 extends perpendicular to the lengthwise axis of the measuring rod22 and is secured thereto. Between both pins there is spanned a tensionspring 45. Tension spring 45 strives to pivot the measuring rod 22 aboutits conical tip 39 upwardly at an inclination. In order to prevent such,an angled sheet metal member or plate 46 is connected with the support23 and at the angled or flexed region of which bears the measuring rod22 with its thicker or increased diameter portion 47.

As is particularly well illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle orangled portion formed by the contact or bearing surfaces 46a and 46b ofthe angled sheet metal member 46 with one another corresponds to theangle which is formed by the grinding surfaces F and F of the grindingdisk 19. Scanning feelers 48 and 49 of two measuring dials or scales and51 are in contact with the thicker portion 47 of the measuring rod 22.The axes of the scanning feelers 48 and 49 are perpendicular to thecontact surfaces 46a and 46b respectively of the angled sheet metalmember 46 and therefore also perpendicular to the grinding surfaces F 1and F of the grinding disk 19. Each housing 50a and 51a of the measuringdials 50 and 51 respectively is fixedly connected with the support 23 bymeans of the holding brackets 52 and 53, as such is particularly wellrepresented in FIG. 4. During displacement of the scanning feelers 48and 49 owing to deflection of the measuring rod 22 by the planing tool14, the pointers 50b and 51b of the measuring dials 50 and 51respectively are moved. By means of the contacts 54, 55, and 54, 55which are activated by the respective pointers 50b and 51b of themeasuring dials 50 and 51 whenever such move therepast, it' is possibleto close electrical current circuits and, for instance, to activatelamps which by virtue of their color can indicate the degree of wear ofthe diamond 15. Of course, the measuring dials 50 and 51 could also bedirectly visually read-off and as a function of the read-off measurementvalues there could be undertaken an adjustment or resetting of thediamond in horizontal and/or vertical direction.

The mode of operation of the heretofore described exemplary form ofapparatus should be apparent from the previously described constructionand may be considered as follows: during the grinding of tools 21, theplaning tool support 13 and therefore the diamond 15 is located abovethe measuring rod 22. The planing tool support 13 arrives in thisposition in that via the hydraulic conduit or line 28 pressurized fluidmedium is conducted in front of the piston of the hydraulic piston unit24 so that the piston rod 29 is retracted and via the lever 30 and thelink 34 the copying pin support 8 and the planing tool support 13 areretracted upwards. The tension spring 36 retains the copying pin 9 inbearing contact with the copying template 10. In this case thedouble-arm lever 30, the link 34 and the tension spring 36 assume thephantom line position illustrated in the drawings, wherein the carriage4, the copying pin support 8 and the tension spring 57 and the planingtool support 13 assume a position which is upwardly displaced in FIG. 1but has not been particularly shown therein. In this rest position thecopying pin support 8 and the planing tool support 13 are additionallydisplaced towards the right.

An entire series of tools 21 are arranged behind one another upon anon-illustrated saddle of a grinding machine. This saddle carries out ato-and-fro movement, whereby the tools 21, as illustrated, are movedpast the rotating grinding disk or wheel 19 and are ground. After aseries of grinding operations the grinding disk 19 must be planed. Tothis end, the entire housing 1 is displaced vertically downward in thedirection of the grinding disk 19 by an adjustable amount. In so doing,the position of the diamond 15 with respect to the measuring rod 22 doesnot experience any change. In other words, the diamond 15 to the extentthat it is not yet worn deflects the measuring rod 22 by the same amountwhen it is guided over the measuring rod 22 in accordance with theextended contour of the copying template 10.

The planing of the grinding disk 19 takes place by introducingpressurized fluid medium, via the hydraulic conduit or line 27, behindthe piston of the hydraulic piston unit 24. In so doing, the piston rod29 is displaced out of the piston housing 25 and the lever member 30 andthe link 34 gradually move out of the phantom line illustrated restposition into the opposite terminal position depicted by full lines. Inso doing,- the copying pin 9 is always retained in contact with thecontour of the copying template 10 by virtue of the action of thetension spring 36 which engages with the copying pin support 8, so thatthe tip of the diamond 15 moves over both contact points IE and B, atthe measuring rod 22 and finally over the grinding surfaces F. and F2 ofthe grinding disk 19. The grinding table about the pivot or journal 2and the profile at the other side of the grinding disk 19 is machined inthe same manner, which side is completely symmetrical to the side whichhas already been planed or trued.

The grinding disk 19 is then always displaced in vertical direction adegree corresponding to the planed amount with respect to the verticallynon-displaceable tools 21 by means of a non-illustrated compensationmechanism.

Owing to a series of planing operations, the diamond l5 experiencesappreciable wear as such has been depicted, for instance, in FIG. 5. Insuch case, the measuring rod 22 in the event that it is even stillcontacted at the points B and B experiences a deflection which is tooslight, which for instance can be indicated optically by a red lampactivated by the contacts 54 and 54. The operator. must then readjustthe diamond in horizontal and vertical direction by means of themicrometer adjustment screws 17 and 18. Then there again takes place acontrol to determine if the readjustment was not too large. Thisfunction is performed by the contacts 55 and 55' which likewiseilluminate the red lamp when these contacts are actuated. Only when thepointers 50b and 51b of the measuring dials 50 and 51 are locatedbetween the contacts 54, 54' and 55, 55' does a green lamp-illuminateand the planing operation can then be initiated.

From FIG. 5 it will be apparent how the wear of the diamond arranged atthe tip of the planing tool arises. Initially, the diamond l5 possessesa tip which corresponds to the full line illustration. During machiningof thegrinding surfaces F and F, of the grinding disk 19, wear of thediamond occurs with time which leads to a reduction in the size of thetip of the diamond as illustrated in phantom lines. Hence, the diamond15 derstood that the invention is not limited thereto but may beotherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of thefollowing claims. ACCORD- INGLY,

I claim:

1. An apparatus comprising a tool, a copying template for guiding thetool along a prescribed path of travel, said copying template possessingscanning surfaces and control surfaces, indicator means arranged alongthe path of travel of the tool produced by the control surfaces of saidcopying template for indicating the position of the tip of the tool withrespect to the path of travel of said tool, said control surfaces beingparallelly displaced with respect to said scanning surfaces, and whereinsaid indicator means comprises a measuring rod, means formounting saidmeasuring rod so as to be deflectable in a direction transverse to itsaxial direction, scanning feeler means arranged in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to said measuring rod and opposite thepoints of contact between the tool and the measuring rod, said measuringrod upon deflection thereof by said tool actuating said scanning feelermeans.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim vl, further including switchingcontact means actuated by said scanning feeler means.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for mountingsaid measuring rod comprises a now exhibits a spacing h, and h from thesurfaces F,

and F respectively. If the apparatus is adjusted such that the unuseddiamond deflects the measuring rod 22 in both directions through apredetermined known and adjustable amount, then, by virtue of the useddiamond there occurs a deflection which is too slight, that is to say,the contacts 54 and 54' are for instance no longer actuated, bringingabout a defect or error indication. The diamond is then readjusted inhorizontal and vertical direction. A readjustment which is too greatresults in a too large deflection of the measuring rod 22 which can beagain indicated by the contacts 55 and 55. With proper readjustment ofthe diamond 15 when such.

moves past the measuring rod 22, the latter must be deflected in bothdirections to such an extent that the pointers of the measuring dialsand 51 still actuate the contacts 54 and 54', while on the other handthe contacts 55 and 55 can no longer be actuated.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly unsupport having a bore,'an angledplate member connected with said support, said measuring rod having oneend equipped with a substantially conical tip mounted in said bore ofsaid support and the other end of said measuring rod being mounted atsaid angled plate member, said angled plate member having surfaces whichextend substantially parallel to said control surfaces of said copyingtemplate, and wherein said measuring rod contactingly bears against saidsurfaces of said angled plate member.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said angled platemember, possesses a flexed portion, tension spring means for maintainingin bearing contact said measuring rod at said flexed portion of saidangled plate member. i

5. An apparatus comprising a tool, a copying template for guiding a toolalong a prescribed path of travel, said tool having a number of wearsurfaces, the copying template possessing control surfaces which extendsubstantially parallel to the wear surfaces at the tool, means forindicating the wear of the tool, said indicating means embodyingscanning feeler means associated with the wear surfaces and adeflectable measuring body member, said scanning feeler means bearingagainst said measuring body member, said measuring body member extendinginto said prescribed path of travel. 7

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said measuring bodymember comprises a substantially round measuring rod past which there istangentially guided the tool, and means for mounting said measuring rodso as to be deflectable transversely with respect to its axialdirection.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, said measuring rod having oneend equipped with a substantially conical tip, said mounting means forsaid measuring rod comprising a support having a bore in which there ismounted said conical 'tip of said measuring rod, an

angled plate member having surfaces which extend substantially parallelto said control surfaces of said copying template, said measuring rodhaving an opposite end portion bearing against said parallel surfaces ofsaid angled plate member.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said angled plate memberincludes an angled portion into said angled portion of the angled platemember.

l 1? l l

1. An apparatus comprising a tool, a copying template for guiding thetool along a prescribed path of travel, said copying template possessingscanning surfaces and control surfaces, indicator means arranged alongthe path of travel of the tool produced by the control surfaces of saidcopying template for indicating the position of the tip of the tool withrespect to the path of travel of said tool, said control surfaces beingparallelly displaced with respect to said scanning surfaces, and whereinsaid indicator means comprises a measuring rod, means for mounting saidmeasuring rod so as to be deflectable in a direction transverse to itsaxial direction, scanning feeler means arranged in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to said measuring rod and opposite thepoints of contact between the tool and the measuring rod, said measuringrod upon deflection thereof by said tool actuating said scanning feelermeans.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further includingswitching contact means actuated by said scanning feeler means.
 3. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for mounting saidmeasuring rod comprises a support having a bore, an angled plate memberconnected with said support, said measuring rod having one end equippedwith a substantialLy conical tip mounted in said bore of said supportand the other end of said measuring rod being mounted at said angledplate member, said angled plate member having surfaces which extendsubstantially parallel to said control surfaces of said copyingtemplate, and wherein said measuring rod contactingly bears against saidsurfaces of said angled plate member.
 4. The apparatus as defined inclaim 3, wherein said angled plate member possesses a flexed portion,tension spring means for maintaining in bearing contact said measuringrod at said flexed portion of said angled plate member.
 5. An apparatuscomprising a tool, a copying template for guiding a tool along aprescribed path of travel, said tool having a number of wear surfaces,the copying template possessing control surfaces which extendsubstantially parallel to the wear surfaces at the tool, means forindicating the wear of the tool, said indicating means embodyingscanning feeler means associated with the wear surfaces and adeflectable measuring body member, said scanning feeler means bearingagainst said measuring body member, said measuring body member extendinginto said prescribed path of travel.
 6. The apparatus as defined inclaim 5, wherein said measuring body member comprises a substantiallyround measuring rod past which there is tangentially guided the tool,and means for mounting said measuring rod so as to be deflectabletransversely with respect to its axial direction.
 7. The apparatus asdefined in claim 6, said measuring rod having one end equipped with asubstantially conical tip, said mounting means for said measuring rodcomprising a support having a bore in which there is mounted saidconical tip of said measuring rod, an angled plate member havingsurfaces which extend substantially parallel to said control surfaces ofsaid copying template, said measuring rod having an opposite end portionbearing against said parallel surfaces of said angled plate member. 8.The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said angled plate memberincludes an angled portion formed between said surfaces thereof, atension spring connected at one end to the measuring rod and at theother end to the support for drawing the measuring rod into said angledportion of the angled plate member.